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Yes, I think you're right, Anne - and so does my friend who is now sending for it.

It would be a surprise if he was an Irish Kerr and not Scottish but it would indicate that not many people in Oz at that time could tell an Irish from a Scottish accent. However, this would be understandable if Harrie spoke quietly, I think, because that would make it harder to tell which country the accent came from.

Thanks everyone.

Joylouise,
I think your best bet would be to obtain the death cert.
It should give the parents names, and if they were Scottish, they should be easy to locate.
Having said this.... my mum was also a Kerr but..... she was IRISH not Scottish!

The siblings' names James, Donald , Kate and Bessie came from one of Harrie's descendants. Other people have given me more on the Genes site.

I've looked on the Scottish Censuses but can't find three of these names together - found a Kate, found a Bessie, found a James and found a Donald - will have another look at Stirling Censuses in 1881.

Thank you.

I'll pass all of this info on then see what more we can find.

I thought about mentioning Laurieston, Falkirk this morning, but decided not to confuse things ( it's the only Laurieson that I know of) .L.O.L

If JoyLouise can get the DC it would help enormously

Just found this - there is a LauriEston in in the Falkirk parish of Stirlingshire, Scotland! :-D

Possible arrival as Hy or Henry KERR aged 16 aboard Sorata in June 1886.

PS How did you find out the siblings names, Joylouise?

Ah I see...interesting...I don't think he and Grace legally married...maybe she and Fredk never formally divorced?

Harry snr did die in Welshpool, so it does all seem to fit. His death cert might hold interest...his first marriage won't say his mother's name (too early) or birthplace. Up to Joylouise from here - hopefully she keeps checking this thread :-)

Copied and pasted from orig thread

"Harrie married 1st Jane Cox and had the following children, all born Euroa:"
Leslie James, b 14.05.1893
Evelyn May, b 01.06.1896
Bessie Florence, b 19.07.189?
Henry Baden Powell, b 23.05.1900
Alice Catherine, b 27.08.1903"

1st wife died in 1907 and Joylouise believes the same man then married Grace Webb previously Moore
On the 1917 ER in Welshpool, it appears that one household contains:
Harry Kerr ( Blacksmith), Grace. Leslie James, Eva May and Bessie Florence.
At 1931 Harry jnr ( consistent with 2nd marriage) also appears as living in the household.

Whilst I agree that the same Harry Kerr married both women, I am not good with Australian geography, but would have expected to find a DC for Harry Snr in Welshpool or the surrounding area.

I will look at ERs in detail later to see if I can determine exactly when Harry snr dropped off.
Also if Grace's daughters were in the household at any time.
Difficulty will be in differenciatingHarry snr from his son after 1931.... but we know that he was still living at that time!

son's WWII enlistment:
KERR HARRY : Service Number - V23903 : Date of birth - 28 Aug 1910 : Place of birth - WELSHPOOL VIC : Place of enlistment - MT MARTHA VIC : Next of Kin - KERR PHYLLIS

Harry KERR married Phyllis DENMAN in 1941 (reg 5566).

Grace died in 1953 aged 68 in Melbourne, daughter of George MOORE & Agnes IRELAND (reg 12755). Can't find her birth in SA.

GIven the location of his death, we know that Harry was in Welshpool, which is where he and Grace can be seen in the Electoral Rolls...this is a VERY long way from Euroa. How did you make the connection from Harry & Grace KERR of Welshpool to Henry & Jane KERR of Euroa?

There is no marriage to be found for Hy to Grace in Vic. Son Harry was born in 1910 (reg 31492R). Another son Arthur died in 1912 in infancy. Both in Welshpool. Interestingly, Harry's birth is also shown as Harry WEBB, same parents details (Hy & Grace Agnes MOORE).

Ah, it appears Agnes Grace MOORE was previously married to Frederick Richard WEBB, in Victoria in 1903. She is shown as born in Mt Gambier and he in Vic.They had 3 children 1903-1908 in Northcote and Yarram: Agnes Esther Lilian1903, Grace Isabel May 1905 and Wm George 1908. No death found for Fredk c1908-10 (possible in 1958 aged 79).

Agnes Esther Lilian KERR married Chas Roy BATTERSBY in 1925 (reg 7127) and died aged 25 in 1928 in Welshpool (reg 12911), parents shown as Fredk Richard KERR & Grace Amy MOORE. Possible marriage for her sister as Grace May KERR in 1925 to Keith Jno Thos MARTIN (reg 9709).

The son born as Wm George WEBB to Fredk & Grace in 1908 is the one whose death I found above (as Geo Wm KERR)...Possible marriage for him to Elsie ROBERTS in 1938 (reg 15754).

If you are certain the Harry who died in 1948 is the right man, I'd suggest his death certificate as this will state any and all marriages and children, as well as his birthplace if known by the informant. You can order an uncertifed image online relatively cheaply. https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/index-search?action=purchaseImage

According to the Digger index the Harry KERR who married Jane COX in 1891 (reg 6805) was born in Lauriston. Jane was born in Euroa.

Lauriston is in Victoria near Kyneton, .ie. NOT Scotland. No matching birth found in Victoria; there is one in 1869 in Warrnambool (as Henry, father Wm) but that is a long way from Lauriston!

You need to start with what you know for sure (ie descendants details) and work backwards...

PS daughter Bessie Florence was born in 1897 and Evelyn May's birth was registered in 1895.

Can't see it posted here but found a death as Harry KERR in 1948 aged 79 (fits year of birth), father James KERR, died in Welshpool Vic (reg 19448).

Leslie Jas KERR, son of Harry KERR & Jane COX, died in 1955 in Box Hill, Victoria, aged 72 (reg 23968). ???

Harry & Grace also had children:
Geo Wm d. 1965 aged 58
Harry d. 1968 aged 57

Thank you all.

I came to the same conclusion as Gins... his name was Henry.
1st wife died in 1907
However, he is listed on all ERs as Harry.
With his 2nd wife Grace, he can be found on Ers from 1914 until at least 1939 living at:
Welshpool, Foster, Gippsland, Victoria.

Australia Death Index, 1787-1985
about Jane Kerr
Name: Jane Kerr
Death Place: Euroa, Victoria
Age: 40
Father's Name: Cox Elless
Mother's Name: Bridt Meehan
Registration Year: 1907
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 8125
Estimated Birth Year: abt 1867

Searching http://goo.gl/BjTZf (historical Victorian BMD).

Marriages
Kerr
Henry
dates 1903-1948 (birth year of youngest child listed to year of his death)

* You may view 28 matching records as 2 separate pages.
Each result page not previously viewed in this session will cost $ 0.99 to view.*

Edit – in view of Anne’s discovery above/below, change the parameter to 1907-1948

Sometimes you have to pay to get the documented information about your family!

So it looks like his name was Henry


Australia Birth Index, 1788-1922
about Leslie James Kerr
Name: Leslie James Kerr
Father's Name: Henry Kerr
Mother's Name: Jane Cox
Birth Place: Euro, Victoria
Registration Year: 1893
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration number: 22151

What can you see on an Australian MC? ~Entry edited to show only Vic

Date Yes
Couple's names Yes
Couple's ages Yes
Couple's birthplaces from 1896
Previous status Yes
Couple's occupations Yes
Couple's residences Yes
Fathers' names Yes
Fathers' occupations Yes
Groom's mothers name from 1896
Bride's mothers name Yes
Available (Historical*) aftr 60 yrs

http://www.jaunay.com/bdm.html

So the MC is the way to go. At the very least you'll get his father's name, and if you or someone can find his 2nd marriage, his mother's name

EDIT - from http://www.bdm.vic.gov.au/utility/fees/ the cost of an Uncertified historical image is AUD$20

Either of his marriage certs would be your best bet, I would have thought

The suggestion that he was born en route to Australia doesn't 'gel' with the idea that he had sisters who went to South Africa........unless, of course, they went there from Australia

Not what you wanted, but definitely linked to the family

WW1 enlistment
KERR LESLIE JAMES KERR Leslie James : Service Number - 3374 : Place of Birth - Euroa VIC : Place of Enlistment - Melbourne VIC : Next of Kin - (N/A) KERR Harry

From
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/using/search/index.aspx
Select 'Begin your search'
Then Name Search from the green tabs
Family name – Kerr
Category from the drop down box - ~World War 1 (enter)
There are 439 results – select Refine this search result
Enter Given names – Leslie James (enter)
Then ‘display’

You can view the documents ‘View digital copy’

Try searching for BMD on

https://online.justice.vic.gov.au/bdm/index-search

One of the marriages from Ancestry

Australia Marriage Index, 1788-1950
Hy Kerr
Spouse Name: Jane Cox
Marriage Place: Victoria
Registration Place: Victoria
Registration Year: 1891
Registration number: 6805